Latest On Todd Frazier, David Robertson

The Red Sox are “moving closer” to a deal with the White Sox that would send third baseman Todd Frazier to Boston, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (Twitter link). Both the Red Sox and archrival Yankees, who are 2.5 games behind AL East-leading Boston, sent scouts to Chicago on Sunday to observe Frazier and teammate David Robertson, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman. However, it seems the teams have different motives. While the Red Sox are more interested in landing Frazier than Robertson, it’s the other way around for the Yankees, per Heyman.

If the White Sox move Frazier prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, the soon-to-be free agent’s unlikely to bring back a big return, with Nightengale suggesting he’d net the White Sox a “fringe prospect.” Moreover, Chicago would probably have to eat some of the remaining $5MM-plus left on Frazier’s contract, adds Nightengale (on Twitter). The 31-year-old would offer an acquiring team a competent everyday player, though, as he’s in the midst of his sixth straight respectable full season. Overall, the slugger has hit .210/.330/.483 with 16 home runs in 330 plate appearances. Those numbers are clearly superior to the production the Red Sox have gotten from their slew of third basemen, who have batted a woeful .234/.292/.327 with seven homers in 494 PAs.

Lowrie began his career in Boston, which selected him in the first round of the 2005 draft and dealt him to Houston in 2011 for reliever Mark Melancon. Now 33, Lowrie hasn’t seen significant action at third base since 2015, when he was still with the Astros, but his bat would bat be an upgrade over what the Red Sox’s hot corner choices have offered this year. The switch-hitter has slashed .273/.340/.448 with nine homers in 365 trips to the plate with the A’s, who are rebuilding and have no real reason to keep the $6.5MM man around through the season. With a $6MM club option (or a $1MM buyout) for 2018, Lowrie could be more than a rest-of-season stopgap for Boston, though the club might only need a Band-Aid at third with highly touted prospect Rafael Devers creeping closer to the majors.

Solarte, 30, carries even more team control than Lowrie. He’s due a guaranteed $6.5MM through 2018 ($2.5MM this season, $4MM next) and has two affordable club options after that ($5.5MM in 2019, $8MM in 2020). Also a switch-hitter, Solarte has slashed .268/.349/.425 with 10 long balls in 289 PAs this season. However, a strained oblique has kept him out of action since June 20.

While Lowrie to Boston would be a homecoming of sorts, the same would apply to Robertson going to New York. The Yankees drafted Robertson in 2006, in Round 17, and he developed into a shutdown reliever with the club a few years later. Robertson was so effective as both a setup man and closer with the Yankees that Chicago handed him a four-year, $46MM contract as a free agent in 2014.

Even though the Yankees let Robertson depart, they “always have” been bullish on the right-hander, a source told Heyman. His $12MM salary this year and $13MM guarantee in 2018 aside, any bullpen-needy team would love to have Robertson, who’s amid the best of his three seasons in Chicago and has posted a 2.78 ERA with 12.8 K/9 and 3.06 BB/9 over 32 1/3 innings. Robertson is the closer for the White Sox, but he’d return to his old setup job with the Yankees and form what would figure to be an elite game-ending trio with Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman. Robertson would also fill a seventh- or eighth-inning role with the Red Sox, who have an all-world closer in Craig Kimbrel.

Then why can some guys not close? Why did Madson specifically ask BoMel this year that he did not want to close? It’s a completely different animal in the Bottom of the 9th. Most guys aren’t super relievers like Andrew Miller either, so your analogy is not apt.

How is it a silly analogy?? It’s a simple question that Should have a simple answer. I really hope you or no one else is dumb enough to say the latter of what I asked is more difficult. Since you’re having difficulty answering this , I have a fear that may be the case.

“Not every save is 7-8-9 hitters and three run lead. Not are many Holds 3-4-5 with a one run lead”

And Not Once did I say otherwise. Want me to provide a wider example? I’d love to. Harder to hold a 3 run lead in the 9th or a 1 run lead in the 8th? Check Win Expectancy charts for your answer.

Home team up 1 in Top 8th – 77.6%
Home team up 3 in Top 9th – 97.9%

Away team up 1 in Bottom 8th – 71.6%
Away team up 3 in Bottom 9th – 96.7%

Obviously not all Holds/Saves are in these situations , but my point was if you can shut down a harder situation in the 8th, you can do it in the 9th.

The “he can’t close” argument is flawed. (Awaits someone to name 2-3 pitchers who have had difficulty in the 9th inning but did well in 8th).

The only silliness is not answering a question. The “not everyone can close” argument is a myth. If you can close the 8th, you can close the 9th.

Sorry my latter 2 parts in the above comment there look the same. Went back to rewrite some other parts before I published it but I forgot to edit those as well. Hard to scroll up and down in the app sometimes.

Well that’s pretty obvious since holding a 3 run lead is far harder than holding a 1 run lead. I’m not going to waste my time looking up actual Save% in 1 run games compared to 3 run games, but I’m sure it’s very close to the win expectancy chart. Speaking of which, I left out 1 run 9th inning

Home team with 1 run lead in 9th has a 86.7% chance of winning. Away team with 1 run lead in 9th has 81.8% chance of winning.

Mateo. I just dont see him having a place with the yankees and i feel like the sox are gonna start from there. Hes only there 4th best prospect and i feel like the yankees would rather trade Mateo then a pitcher like Sheffield or Adams

If the White Sox keep Frazier, and submit a qualifying offer at the end of the year, don’t they receive draft compensation? Somewhere in the second to fourth round range? If not, I agree he is only worth a fringe prospect. But if they do receive draft compensation if he signs elsewhere, doesn’t the prospect coming back have to be worth more than the draft compensation?
I admit I get confused over the draft compensation rules.

This is my understanding as well. It certainly doesn’t make sense to give him away if a top 100 draft selection can be had. Not a big return but certainly better than a guy who may or may not crack the top 20 of an organization. im in full agreement

Obviously still a couple months to go, but do we really think Todd Frazier is going to have trouble finding a contract this offseason? And not that I have pulse on the 2018-19 offseason market, but I’m not sure he or his agent will be wanting to compete with Donaldson/machado, should they theoretically go QO.

So is it a packaged deal with Frazier and Robertson that the Red Sox are going to swing or just Frazier? I know the article says they are more interested in Frazier but I’m curious why they wouldn’t get both if they can do it without giving up too much. They both would make them better. I personally hope my Dodgers can get Robertson if they don’t get Britton. I think Fraziers average is an issue for the Red Sox but his power is obviously there still and I’m sure his average will get higher towards the end of the season.

Not buying that Sox have 3rd best bullpen in baseball bit. They have Kimbrel, who’s a stud. After that, it’s unimpressive, IMO. Kelly is having a fluke year, and the rest(Hembree, Barnes, Boyer, Scott, Abad) are not really inspiring.

Depends on if you’re going by “on paper” or the stats. The stats say they have the 3rd best bullpen ERA in the MLB. Of course there are other ways to judge a bullpen as well, but I’m just going by the basics.

As a Red Sox fan the bullpen has outperformed I think that they could use some help. If they new Carson was coming back and effective they wouldn’t do anything but they can’t so Wilson from Detroit is who they should look at depending on cost.

I think the Sox would like to get a look at Delmonico or Davidson at 3B next year. That said, I don’t think the high price of the qualifying offer would hurt them much if he was to accept it because their payroll will be sliiiiiiim…..

Get the deal done DD. Don’t really need Robertson unless the WSox are picking up a lot of his salary. Bullpen is strong, starters are strong with Rodriquez about to come back and Brian Johnson pitching well in Pawtucket. Focus on bats.

Really Bruin? That’s too much. Your number 9 prospect for Todd Frazier? Meanwhile you sit on here arguing that the Yankee fans squeeze there prospects too hard and you argue while proposing trades involving there top prospects in every deal but you think this is too much. I smell something coming from Boston and it stanks.

I think you have me confused with someone else I am the one saying that the Yankees aren’t going to make any trades and might be sellers at the deadline. I simply was saying if you want Q it was going to cost at least Rutherford and Sheffield and two others. Every Yankee fan thought that Q was to costly and the White Sox overplayed there hand. Guess they did not as for the 9th best prospect I’m not sure where you read that. He is an 18 year old playing in the Sally league which is awesome but he is expendable it fits DD’s mo. Look back on the posts before you make a stupid comment.

On paper (and on TV, radio and the internet), Todd Frazier does not look like the answer. He’s 6 for 37 in July with 5 ribbies and 18 runners stranded.. He’s batting .207 overall. Unless a new environment (and the Green Monster) suddenly energize him, he won’t be much better than what the Sox currently have. Mr. Dombrowski needs to get creative and find a BIG BAT for Boston, because there is no one scary in their lineup. Watching them play the Yanks and there are multiple players on NYY that make you think, “Uh-oh, hope this guy doesn’t go deep.” As a Sox fan, you think, “jeez, I hope this guy can get a hit..”

His swing is taylor made for Fenway dead pull fly ball hitter I think he would be good pickup but if Hahn is trying to get Mata or Shawaryn then Id tell him to stick it. If he will take Cedroia and a lesser prospect I would do it.

The twitter rumor was Frazier to Red Sox for Ockimey and Darwinzon Hernandez.
As someone said above, I’d prefer Cedrola.
Florial would be the dream get for DRob, but that ain’t happening.
Maybe Tate or Guzman and Dermis Garcia?

I could see that too that would be a good return for White Sox I saw some White Sox guy that Mata and Cedroia in no scenario would I include Mata an 18 year old who is pitching really well in the Sally league.

If the Yankees do a deal with the White Sox, I hope Sox pick up Thairo Estrada. This kid doesn’t show power or basestealing skills at this point, but has a solid stat line in AA at only 21 years old. Could be a very valuable utility man in the future.

I also believe he is one of the players the Yankees need to make a decision on as far as roster moves go. He was signed in 2012. Which other ones are included in this group of players needing protected?

I just wish they would do it and move on we we can all quit hearing and talking about. Nationals earlier deal today might mean Robertson going nowhere. Nationals more then anyone was on him and needed him to a greater extent

I would take Lowry over Frazier. The Feast or Famine results aren’t enough to warrant a position of improvement if the Red Sox were to acquire Frazier. One has to make contact to improve slugging percentage and Frazier gives away too many AB’s.

Nats may still want Robertson or Britton since they are closers, but seems like the $ they absorbed in set-up guys today may involve them asking the sender for cash. Hope Sox very open-minded to that to accumulate a high end prospect + an okay one.

“any bullpen-needy team would love to have Robertson, who’s amid the best of his three seasons in Chicago and has posted a 2.78 ERA with 12.8 K/9 and 3.06 BB/9 over 32 1/3 innings”

Also, this stuck out to me. Robertson is having a very good season so far, but his 2015 season was better in my opinion. His ERA was much higher (3.41 vs 2.78), but he pitched significantly better than that. He had a 2.52 FIP (half run lower than this year), 0.932 WHIP, 12.2 K/9, and 1.8 BB/9 in 63 1/3 innings. Extremely underrated season.